The upcoming Snapdragon 820 chipset is widely expected to power the next generation of flagship phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Sony Xperia Z6.

It's not just set for high-end handsets though, as Qualcomm has unveiled the automotive-friendly spinoff chip, the Snapdragon 820A.

Allowing future cars' infotainment systems to be enhanced by both hardware and software updates, this modular unit isn't just about making your car play nice with your existing smartphone. Oh no.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Instead, the smartcar chip will also bring 4G connectivity and the possibility of 4K visuals to the mix, letting you turn your next ride into a feature-rich, connected and entertainment-friendly smartphone challenger of sorts.

This being a car and with your attention needing to remain on the road though, the Snapdragon 820A chip also plays nice with Qualcomm's Zeroth machine intelligence platform.

Basically, it means your car will learn what you like, from entertainment settings and connectivity options to radio preferences and navigation options. It will also detect when your concentration strays from the road and support basic autonomous controls.

Making your car connected, the 820A features 4G and wider connectivity options. Serious connectivity options at that, with possible download speeds of 600Mbps and 150Mbps upload options. That's faster than your frequently bemoaned broadband connection. 5G will also be supported when the infrastructure is in place.

This means you can not only turn your car into a roving Wi-Fi hotspot - letting passengers enjoy a bit of on-the-move Netflix (and chill?) - but also bring cloud connectivity to the vehicle.

This will let you stream your favourite playlists to the car without having to remember to download them first. Video can be streamed too - to passengers of course - with 4K quality content supported.

There are further benefits to a connected car, too. If you're having issues with your motor, connections can be used to perform remote diagnostics.

The chip will play nice with a number of operating systems, including Android, and support a number of third-party technologies, including those from LG and AT&T.

It is currently unclear when the first Snapdragon 820A-powered cars will hit the streets, although Qualcomm has partnered with a number of car manufacturers and service providers to get the 820A into many cars moving forward.